Chapter 74 - A deal once struck
An eerie smile covered Rosa’s face.
Scarlett stared at the woman. Some instincts hidden deep down were screaming to run away, but her gaze was locked inside Rosa’s pitch-black eye sockets. They were like a void of nothingness, yet it felt as if they were hiding something terrible just beneath the surface.
Scarlett pulled herself out of whatever trance-like state they lured her into, and Rosa stepped forward with an almost unnatural grace. Scarlett had to stop herself from backing away.
“Oh, this is delightful~” a dangerously charming voice rang out from the woman. It sent shivers down Scarlett’s spine. “I had my suspicions…but you already knew I was here, didn’t you? How interesting. How quaint.”
There was a devouring sense of terror that bore down upon her as the woman approached, unlike anything she’d ever experienced. It pushed against all her mental defenses, and even with the entirety of her being rebelling against it, all her effort was needed just to maintain a mask of calm.
“Baroness Scarlett Hartford,” Rosa hummed. “You are an interesting one. It’s been quite entertaining, watching you frolic about with little dear Rosalina on your adventures. A pleasant diversion from my usual leisure.”
Scarlett grit her teeth. She had hoped it wouldn’t come to this anytime soon. This wasn’t a being one could frivolously deal with and hope for getting out unharmed. Even stuck in Rosa’s body, it was clear this being could end Scarlett in a heartbeat. And it wouldn’t hesitate to do so either. She couldn’t reveal even an ounce of weakness here. Showing confidence was vital.
“…Is that so?” she pressed out.
“Very much so. I especially enjoyed that forest you visited a while back. The Wandering Realm is ever so exciting. Even insignificant hovels like that.” Rosa stopped, then looked down at Shin’s still body, lying on top of the dead warg. “Oh? He doesn’t seem in good shape. Don’t you think he needs some help?”
Scarlett glanced down at the bloody and beaten Shin.
“Yes…” she said slowly. “But I suppose you would not care to be the one to lend it?”
Rosa placed a finger against her chin, a contemplative look on her face. “Ah, but our dear Rosalina is the one who’s obsessed with those healing songs of hers. It is oh so endearing, seeing all of her fruitless efforts. But I’m afraid you wouldn’t like the result if I were to help instead.”